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Monday, November 19, 2012

Chocolate Enhances Everything -- Especially Pumpkin Pie

Meal Monday

It's almost Thanksgiving, one of my favorites because it's all about the food, and I think we should cut right to the chase. Turkey is fine (don't dry it out), cranberries and sweet potatoes are even better and green beans or whatever are necessary to make us feel we have a balanced meal in honor of our great American forebears. All good, but honestly just a prelude to the main event: dessert.

Most of us are there for the pies, right? A really good pie makes even the most annoying relatives more bearable. I have to say, I like most pies -- fruit pies (add fresh cranberries to your apple pie to make it more interesting), lemon meringue pies, pecan pies, etc. But I think pumpkin pie is the best. I love it's seasonality and its spiciness.

I particularly love the way I altered the classic pumpkin pie when I was in my early 20s by adding chocolate. Really, it's a no-brainer. I've never looked back and everyone who tries this pie loves it. I call it Black Bottom Pumpkin Pie. It's easy and traditional, but different from all the other pumpkin pies out there. If you look closely at the photo above, you'll see a nice layer of chocolate at the bottom of the slice of pie.

Try it and let me know what you think.

Black Bottom Pumpkin Pie

1 store bought graham cracker pie crust

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate baking squares

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 15 oz can pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1 1/2 tbsp butter (melted)

1 12 oz can evaporated milk (I use skim and it's just fine)

1/8 cup molasses

2 eggs (beaten)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler. When melted, pour into pie crust and spread evenly across bottom. Let cool until chocolate hardens.

2. Sift sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together in a large bowl.

4. Pour pie filling into crust (you may have a bit extra, depending on how much space the chocolate takes. I use my extra pie filling to make pumpkin puddings in ramekins, baked alongside the pie, but taken out of the oven about 20 minutes earlier -- check for doneness).

5. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes; lower heat and bake at 350 degrees for another 50 minutes.